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Various

 

 


As the first Monday in October 2013, i.e. 7 October was a

public holiday we met instead on

Monday 30 September at 6 pm,

Federation Conference Centre

Discussion about an upcoming protest on 12 October 2013

12 October 2013 - 3pm: No Basics Card No Work-for-Dole No Intervention Rally at Sydney Martin Place.

Part of Occupy Sydney's 2nd anniversary celebration. Further info: please click here

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NAIDOC week 2013: 'concerned Australians' media release -

Still Supporting Yolngu in Their Fight for Rights:


please click here


Special Meeting and Discussion – All Welcome

Monday 15th July 2013 6pm
NSW Teachers’ Federation, 23 Mary St. Surry Hills

Now in government in the NT, tipped to win Federal election...

What does the Liberal Party ascendency mean for Aboriginal affairs?


In July 2012 the Country Liberals won the NT elections on the back of a huge swing by Aboriginal voters in remote communities. Country Liberal candidates capitalised on anger with the disempowerment that resulted from the NT Intervention and local government ‘reforms’. However, since taking office the CLP have implemented draconian policies that will criminalise alcoholism and they have also pushed for adoption of "neglected" Indigenous children.

Tony Abbott is promising to run Indigenous Affairs from the Prime Ministers office and make it one of his central priorities. He has already flagged an attack on Aboriginal Land Councils and a further expansion of income management. Where are the Liberal's taking Aboriginal politics? How should campaigns for Aboriginal rights relate to the upcoming election?

An additional question that has now become relevant is what will it mean if the ALP under the leadership of the recently resurrected Kevin Rudd is returned to office? Rudd has thus far made no move to distance himself from the punitive and utterly failed racist policies of the Gillard Government and of his own administration that preceded it. Indeed, he has recently reaffirmed Jenny Macklin, the ‘Overseer’ of the Intervention and ‘Stronger Futures, in her position of Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Minister for Disability Reform.

Aboriginal activist Michael Mansell has recently stated - "… Kevin Rudd will be looking for an issue that separates him from the past couple of years under Julia Gillard, and Aboriginal affairs is a prime issue that Kevin Rudd is likely to grab hold of. If people present him with something that's within reach and something that will make him look good and I think we are in an advantageous position to be able to do that, but we have got to act quickly."

Could this be correct, or is this hope just a pipe-dream?